"Relating to Baldwin County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to define the Stockton Landmark District within the county and to prohibit the annexation by local law any property within the district into any municipality."

Monday, October 15, 2012

Q&A Friday on Monday

Ok, so it's not really Friday (sorry to break the news) but since the campaign tour last week bumped our weekly blog features we are playing catch up with our Friday Stockton Landmark District Q&A today. Trivia Tuesday will return tomorrow. Just about 3 weeks to go! The finish line is in sight and we need your help in these final weeks to tell as many Alabama voters as possible why they should vote YES for Amendment 3 on November 6th. Keep sharing the link to the blog, we will be updating it more frequently as the election approaches. Have a great week, ya'll!

Question 1: Why is it important that Amendment 3 passes on November 6th? Why not just wait until if and when a neighboring municipality attempts to annex Stockton?

Answer: Remember the old Ben Franklin quote, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?" Amendment 3 simply puts in place a protective barrier around Stockton. It is a precautionary step that will be so valuable to our residents if and when another municipality proposes annexation. As the law stands today, a larger municipality can annex unincorporated areas without a vote from the area's residents as long as the Alabama Legislature approves it. If this happens, the annexed community's only recourse is to fight the annexation in court which can be very costly not to mention extremely long and tenuous. Ft. Morgan, located at the very bottom of Baldwin County, has been in a legal battle with its neighbor, Gulf Shores for years over the same issue. Another example in Baldwin County is the Malbis Plantation. This area located just down from the Eastern Shore Center in Spanish Fort was a very integral part of Greek history and culture in South Alabama. It has been completely annexed into Spanish Fort and Daphne. Newcomers to the area and younger people do not even know that there was a Malbis. They just see a pretty Greek Orthodox church and a few big houses along the road on their way into Daphne. What a devastating scenario this would be for Stockton, the oldest community in the county.

We need to act now to give our residents a vote in the future. Amendment 3 is our best shot. Please vote YES on November 6th!

Question 2: Which party supports Amendment 3? Is this a partisan issue?

Answer: The Stockton Landmark District is a completely non-partisan issue and is not backed by any party. Amendment 3 is supported by Alabama voters from all party affiliations and independents. We visited numerous Democratic and Republican Headquarters on our statewide campaign tour last week and overwhelmingly the consensus from both parties was, "this amendment just makes sense." Amendment 3 isn't really about politics. It is about preserving the history and heritage of Stockton and giving residents, many who can trace their roots back over 200 years in the community, a vote. No one wants to wake up one morning to find that the town their families have called home for generations is no longer on the map. Visit Why Should I Vote Yes? for more info.

Anonymous- We do not have any "predatory towns" nearby. Stockton has a great relationship with its neighbors, the largest being Bay Minette and Spanish Fort, and has coexisted happily with them for well over 100 years. The great thing about the timing of Amendment 3 is that we are not in a fight over annexation with any other town. This amendment is not anti-anyone. We love North Baldwin and we love our neighbors. We all enhance each other. The Stockton Landmark District is just about Stockton and it simply puts a wall of protection around our community and gives residents a voice in Stockton's future. As Baldwin County continues to grow, we will become more desirable to other larger towns. The law today allows Stockton to be annexed by another town without our residents being given the right to vote. Amendment 3 does not permanently prevent annexation. It simply gives us the opportunity to vote should annexation be proposed. With over 200+ years of history, heritage, and tremendous contributions to Baldwin County, Stockton has earned the right to direct its own future. Thanks for your comment!

Your Vote Counts!

On November 6th, vote YES for Amendment 3 on the Alabama State ballot. This will designate the tiny community of Stockton as Alabama's 1st Landmark District. As a Landmark District, the residents of Stockton will be given the right to vote should a larger municipality propose annexation. This amendment has NO effects on taxes, zoning, land use or anyone in the state. Help us preserve the rich history, resources, and uniqueness of this place we call home!